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James Reimer
James Reimer is a Canadian proffesional hockey player who is currently playing for the Toronto Maple Leafs. The Leafs selected him 99th overall in 2006. He started playing minor hockey in Morweena at the age of 12. He played juniour hockey with the Red Deer Rebels of the Western Hockey League after being selected in the fifth round of the 2003 Bantam Entry Draft. Reimer made his NHL debut with the Maple Leafs during the 2010-2011 season and went on to replace Jean-Sebastien Giguere as the Maple Leafs' starting goaltender. He plays for Canada internationally, and first represented his country at the 2011 World Championship . Playing career Minor hockey Reimer started being the position of the goalie when his brother Mark needed practice shooting. A minor hockey coach heard he had talent, and recruited him. His parents were unsure if minor hockey was the right fit for their son, and he did not play organized hockey until he was 12 years old. He was first noticed by agent Ray Petkau when he was 13, after playing with a church team at a tournament in Steinbach, Manitoba. As of March 2011, Petkau was still his representative. Junior hockey Reimer was selected by the Red Deer Rebels in the fifth round of the 2003 Western Hockey League Bantam Draft. The team drafted Reimer largely on the word of a single scout, Carter Sears. After Reimer performed poorly during his first training camp with the club, Rebels head coach Brent Sutter wanted him off the team, but Sears was persistent in his support for Reimer. Reimer made the club in his third attempt after having been cut the previous two seasons. But the Rebels did poorly that season and so did Reimer. . Reimer played 34 games, recording only 7 wins.Reimer broke his hand late in the season, an injury which cost him a chance to play for Canada in the 2006 IIHF U-18 world Championships. Despite his poor statistics, Reimer was selected by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the fourth round of the 2006 National Hockey League Entry Draft. Professional hockey After attending the Maple Leafs training camp in September 2008, he began playing for the Toronto Marlies of the American Hockey League. After starting the season with the Marlies, Reimer was assigned to the Reading Royals of the ECHL. He was then shortly recalled by the Marlies and recorded his first AHL win by a score of 3–2 in a shootout against the Manitoba Moose. In two stints with the Marlies, Reimer had a record of one win and two losses, with a goals against average of 3.28 and a .882 save percentage. With the Royals, Reimer had a record of ten wins, seven losses and three ties. At the ECHL trade deadline, Reimer was moved to the South Carolina Stingrays, a team that had gone through eight goaltenders during the season. The deal was facilitated to expose Reimer to post-season experience, as the Royals were out of playoff contention.While with the Stingrays, Reimer helped them win the 2009 Kelly Cup Championship. Recording four wins and one shutout over eight games in the post-season, he was named the ECHL Playoffs Most Valuable Player. After attending the Maple Leafs training camp ahead of the 2009-2010 National Hockey League Season, Reimer was again sent away to the AHL. As part of the Marlies' pre-season, Reimer competed in the Gardiner Cup. Reimer had an amazing game and stopped the puck 33 times, but the Toronto Marlies lost to the Hamilton Bulldogs 3-1. Back in the AHL, he spent the majority of the 2009-2010 seson playing with the Marlies. Expectations for the young netminder were low heading into the season, with head coach Ron Willson saying "We wanted him to play in the minors and continue to get better, develop and try to stay healthy." He was recalled by the Maple Leafs several months into the season, making his NHL debut on December 20, 2010 in relief of Jonas Gustavsson against the Atlanta Thrashers. He played 14 minutes in the third period, stopping all four shots he faced. Reimer made his first NHL start against the Ottawa Senators on January 1, 2011. The Maple Leafs won the game 5–1, with Reimer recording 32 saves while picking up his first career NHL win. On February 3, 2011, Reimer recorded 27 saves and picked up his first career NHL shootout against the Carolina Hurricanes A combination of injuries and poor play by Gustavsson and Jean-Sébastien Giguère provided an opportunity for Reimer at the NHL level. His strong play caused the Leafs to carry three goalies on their NHL roster, a fact which did not surprise Giguere, who said "The way he played the last time he was up, you knew he was going to get another chance." Leafs head coach Ron Wilson acknowledged Reimer as the team's starting goalie as they set out on a late-season run for a playoff spot, saying "It’s going to be his ball the rest of the way. As long as we stay in the race. And I think he’s up to it." International play Reimer first began playing for Team Canada around the end of the 2005-2006 season. He played for his country in the 2006 IIHF World U18 Championship, but a broken hand caused by playing with Red Deer unabled him to do so. After his strong rookie season in the NHL, Reimer received another invitation from Hockey Canada, this time to compete at the 2011 IIHF World Championship. Reimer got his first win in the tournament beating Belarus 4-1. Playing style James Reimer uses the butterfly style of goaltending, just like most great goalies. Observers have attributed Reimer's success during the 2010–11 season to his ability to maintain his focus and confidence. Reimer tries to focus on the basics of playing goal, feeling that the fundamentals of goaltending are the key to success, saying "It’s not about making the great save, or making a diving save or playing outside yourself. It’s all about pushing, stopping, and being square and just relying on that. Most of the time if you let out a rebound the defenceman is there so it’s more about being solid fundamentally." Personal Life Reimer was born in Arborg, Manitoba, to parents Harold and Marlene Reimer. His father owns a business moving homes. He graduated from Morweena Christian High School in his hometown. His favourite hockey team growing up was the Toronto Maple Leafs, and his favourite player was Ed Belfour.Reimer met his wife, April, at a junior hockey hockey game in Moose Jaw, Sascatchewan. He attends Church reguarly.